Isenvokte (Ahpolki Inika)
Isenvokte is an Enacitek and the former despot of Isenvokte Nui. History Early Life He was among the first generation of his race to be created by Mata Nui, populating his homeland. Although he lived a relatively peaceful life, it was short-lived. The ruling parties selected by the Great Spirit proved to be incompetent and corrupt, splitting their government apart and waging civil war. Isenvokte initially attempted to remain neutral, but was put under increasing pressure by his neighbors. Rather than fight in the battlefields, he opted to serve as a bodyguard to one of the leaders of the two factions. As the war progressed, Isenvokte developed a growing distaste for the leadership of the two warring parties. When Carapar's forces entered the battlefield, the two factions decided to form a truce until the warlord's forces were defeated. Isenvokte was present at the meeting, watching over his employer. Near the end of the conflict with the League of Six Kingdoms, Carapar called for a ceasefire. He offered them rations as a sign of peace. While initially wiry of this, One of the circle noted that the civil war prior to the then-present one had desolated most of the farms present on the island. Reluctantly, they accepted the food and gave it to their people. His employer chose to taste a sample himself, though the bodyguard rejected any offers he made. To their surprise, the former fell into a state of paralysis. Realizing Carapar's plans, the politician pleaded that the warrior warn the council. Seeing this as a sign of weakness, Isenvokte slew the man instead. Making his way to the main headquarters of the council, he discovered them to be in a similar position as his master. Seeing them in this situation sent him into a fit of rage, calling them out for their incompetence and weakness. Losing his patience with them, he proceeded to slaughter them all. When he calmed down and realized what he had done, he quickly chose to claim the throne to the island and attempt to drive off Carapar's forces. He didn't have much time to conduct a plan for this, as the warlord had personally entered the palace shortly after the chaos. Proclaiming himself as the lord of the island, Isenvokte challenged Carapar to a duel. The winner would rule over the island while the loser would be exiled and forbidden to return. The Barraki agreed, and fought the native. Although the former emerged victorious, he decided to keep the pretender around as a servant to the League. He granted him the title of "High Regent", and stationed one of his soldiers to act as an advisory. In reality, however, this agent was a spy for Carapar, to ensure that Isenvokte stayed in line. Millennia latter, the League of the Six Kingdoms were defeated by the Brotherhood of Makuta. Seeing the empire falling into decline, Isenvokte gathered every able warrior he could and repelled the League's armies from the island. During the skirmish, the High Regent killed his "advisory" and kept his Kanohi mask as both a trophy and a warning. Without anyone to oppose his authority, he crowned himself as ruler of the island. Thus began the reign of "Isenvokte Nui". Reign of Isenvokte Nui Over five centuries after the fall of the League of Six Kingdoms, his people and is land's health began to decline. It became a time period later known to historians as "the Great Disruption". He began to heavily ration resources among the citizens, with the only individuals exempted from the law being himself and his inner circle. He began turning to trade with other islands to maintain supplies, but they soon closed off gates to all once the pact was made. Desperate to save his kingdom, he sent out representatives to negotiate with other lands. Rumors of a war to the north caught his audio receptor, of which he decided to investigate himself. Bringing a small squadron of soldiers with him, the two ventured to the city of Metru Nui. To their surprise, they found themselves in the middle of a civil war. They quickly found themselves caught in the combat, losing some warriors in the process. The chaos cut them off from their vessel, and they were forced to flee further into the city to seek shelter. They eventually found themselves within some ruins in Ko-Metru, gazing upon the knowledge towers. Intrigued by them, Isenvokte captured some of the Matoran soldiers and interrogated them on the nature of the structures. Once he had the information he desired, he stole a shipment of Knowledge Crystals and Liquid Protodermis, bringing them and his prisoners back to his island. He had pits dug behind his fortress and the crystals planted within, from which miniature Knowledge Towers sprung. These gave him the inspiration needed to rebuild his nation. Initially, the structures grown were just as fragile as their original incarnation. Wanting to enhance their durability, he turned to his scientists for advice. They suggested that they send a group of spies to steal research from the warzones of Ga-Metru while another group explore possible alternatives on the mainland. Isenvokte granted them permission to carry the project out, and had the first generation of crystalline constructs dismantled for study. Decades later, a mining crew uncovered an unusual glowing liquid. Intrigued by the news, he made his way to the cavern they excavated and beheld an entire lake of the substance. Although he and his men had difficultly in collecting and containing the essence, they eventually managed to construct containers immune to its transmutation capabilities. His agents returned with information on the properties of Protodermis and Knowledge Crystals, including mentions of various types of the former. It was also at that time that they realized the identity of the new substance they discovered. Around 79,100 years ago- at the end of the Matoran Civil War- a Makuta by the name of Zortycus was assigned to the island in the aftermath of the Matoran Civil War. While Isenvokte greeted the Makuta with open arms upon his initial arrival, he despised the idea of the Brotherhood of Makuta monitoring his island (and by extension, himself). Isenvokte would also provide the Makuta with a living place, though as far away from the Glass Tower as possible. Meetings with the Makuta were often delayed in some manner, and when they weren't, they were typically short. Although the watcher had no interest in politics, he was wiry of the island's lord. One note worthy meeting regarded the despot's needs for rationing his people's resources, even after the Great Disruption. Isenvokte's explanation was that he feared another similar event could one day occur, and that he needed to be prepared for it. Zortycus did not fully buy the story, and asked if he had always felt the to conserve resources. The Makuta probed further with each question, and eventually caused provoked a reaction from the tyrant. Isenvokte kicked him out of his fortress, and stormed back to his private chambers to calm down. The second he entered his room, a voice greeted him. He spun around in shock, yet saw no being within the chambers. The voice beckoned him to a vile of the Energized Protodermis he harvested, and opening it spawned a miniature-sized version of himself. The construct inquired on his plans and motives, to which the ruler paused and eventually replied; "The same as every sapient being; to ensure one's own survival. No matter the cost". Intrigued by the response, the Entity offered a partnership with the ruler. This led to a series of experiments and conversations between the two individuals. Once the process of growing the new crystals was perfected, he released them to the public and began reconstruction of his fortress. Zortycus inquired on the origin of the materials and their similarities to Knowledge Crystals, Isenvokte admitted to being inspired by them but denied any usage of them. Fearful of the possiblity of him learning of his pool of his "argent miracles", began a slow process of assassinating key figured involved within the project. Many of them would be presented as accidents or natural causes, either through sabotage or luring them into traps. Over four thousand years later, Isenvokte would leave for a neighboring island in an attempt to negotiate some trading between his homeland and their's. They refused, and in response he began a series of raids on the island. This quickly escalated into a centuries-long war between the two. Wanting to gain access to the resources he desired, he began weaponizing the Energized Protodermis he harvested. The substance would be loaded into cannons and catapults and be launched at their targets. This rapidly altered the terrain of the island and the survivors of the argent waves. The Brotherhood of Makuta caught rumors of a new weapon being tested on the enemy island, and assigned Zortycus and the other island's agent to investigate. Fearing that they would discover his secret, he had the capsules launched at the latter enforcer's hideout on the island. While he succeeded in killing him, Zortycus survived the attack and managed to report it back to his superiors. When Insenvokte looked his window and say said Makuta approach his place heavily armed, he knew his cover was blown. Knowing how ruthless the Makuta can be to their prisoners, he ran to the vial containing his silver friend and asked about his destiny. Before the avatar could finish, he drank the container dry of its contents in an apparent attempt at suicide. Instead, the substance mutated him. When the Makuta arrived at the doors, he was shocked to see them bend and warp into brawny arm-like constructs. Soon much of the palace changed too, with a transformed Isenvokte laughing at the top of the shifting tower. Zorytcus fought his way to the top and battled the empowered dictator, eventually sending him falling to the earth and crippling him. Before he could arrest him, a colossal savage appeared beside him and vanished with him in chains. He would be sentenced to The Pit for weaponizing Energized Protodermis against a neighboring island and its inhabitants. Banishment Isenvokte spent the majority of his remaining lifetime in the Pit. During this period, he was locked within a cell that negated his newfound powers. The jailer- Hydraxon- would interrogate him on occasion regarding his projects and usage of Energized Protodermis. Mantax was one of other prisoners in his sector, and two of them often versed with each other over their exploits. The Barraki became wiry of him, however, after he detailed his conquest of Qryztalex. One thousands years ago, a bioqauke struck the dome containing their prison. Many cells were ripped open in the process, including his. Isonvokte witnessed one of the Barraki kill their jailer and escaped alongside the surviving prisoners. They were all met with blackened waves instead of freedom, turning them into water-breathers. The former tyrant's past exposure to Energized Protodermis made him resistant to the Black Waters' mutagen, allowing him to retain his general physiology (though he did grow a number of spikes across his body). Isenvokte would settle within a cavern system some distance away from the Pit. He recruited Gruek as his chief engineer, using his mechanical prowess to fortify the place. Part of the process involved capturing and reprogramming Maxilos robots that wandered too close to their territory. He used the solitude and freedom to experiment with his crystal-manipulation powers, enhanced by his mutations. He also recruited the Skakdi fusion Zaliek, using him as his primary enforcer. At some point during the millennium, Carapar learned of his whereabouts and challenged him to a duel. Isenvokte invited him into the caves and led him to a personal arena. Though the Barraki initially had the upper-hand, he wasn't prepared for what would happen next. Isenvokte ordered Greuk to activate some type of machine within the chamber. This device electrocuted Carapar, weakening and stun-locking him until Isenvokte beat all of his might out of him. Carapar was enraged by this underhanded tactic, yet his former servant reminded him that of the time he poisoned his homeland. Humiliated and unable to enact vengeance upon him, Nocturn arrived to carry him away. Pridak received news of the event and considered sending a swarm of Takae sharks to avenge his associate. He considered it a waste of resources and time in the end, and allowed the former tyrant to rule in his little caves. Near the end of the Dark Times, a mysterious Toa of Air found himself at his doorsteps. Though the Maxilos drones sprung at him, he managed to defeat and make his way into the despot's throneroom. Rather than fight him, he bowed before him and asked for an audience with him. Isenvokte granted him one, and he recited a tale of how he was sentenced to the pit like the rest of them. Intriuged by his presense, the warlord allowed him to stay as a guest for the next few days. Deep down, however, he was wiry of him and suspected that he was probing for something. Two days later, a Maxilos on patrol went missing. More lost contact with their masters the next day. Gruek was sent to investigate this, yet he too vanished soon after. Without him to provide maintenance to their defenses, the hideout was placed on high alert. A Ta-Matoran managed to slip in and disable the network long enough for someone to join him. That person- to the former tyrant's shock- was Hydraxon. While Zaliek was easily dispatched by the jailer, Isenvokte was much more of a challenge. Their fight was locked in a stalemate until the Toa intervened. Creating an air-bubble around the water-breather's head, he was suffocated into unconsciousness. When he awoke, he placed in his old cell. TBW Abilities and Traits Mask and Tools TBW... Forms TBW... Apperances TBW... Trivia * He was originally portrayed as a prototype for the Great Spirit Robot when he was created by Toa Makao. When Ahpolki Inika adopted the original page, he decided to remake the character as a tyrant who named the island after himself. ** His abilities are influenced by the location his original incarnation crashed into; the Northern Frost.Category:Warlords Category:Characters Category:Pit Prisoner